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Proper Diet and Nutrition

What sugar gliders should be fed has been one of the largest disputes among glider owners. Because the sugar glider is exotic, and only a limited amount of research has been done on the nutritional needs of gliders, each glider owner should do as much research as possible before deciding what to feed their gliders. I have been studying the sugar glider's wild diet and the nutritional needs of gliders for some time, and I use The Exotic Sugar Glider Diet developed by Priscilla Price. Below is information about wild and captive glider nutrition.

 

Sugar Glider Wild Diet
To know what the nutritional need of sugar gliders are, we must first look at the sugar glider's wild diet. What do sugar gliders eat in the wild?

Insects / Protein
Approximately 50% of the sugar gliders diet is made up of insects such as moths, caterpillars, beetles, and other insects that are available. During the spring and summer months, gliders are primarily insectivorous. Even though tree gums / saps are more readily available during these months, gliders prefer insects. This is also the gliders breeding season. Because of this, glider owners often increase the protein percentage in the diet for breeding gliders.

Tree Gums / Sap
Approximately 45% of the sugar glider's diet is made up of acacia gum and eucalyptus sap. During the fall and winter insects are scarce, so gums and saps make up the majority of the diet. Saps are high in complex carbohydrates, which are very important to gliders.

Nectar / Pollen / Honeydew / Manna
Wild sugar gliders have been found to have eaten small amounts of nectar, pollen, honeydew, and manna.

 

Sugar Glider Captive Diet
Now, what should you feed your gliders that will meet their nutritional needs? You want to feed you gliders a diet that is as close as possible to their natural wild diet.

Insects / Protein
Insects are widely available. Commonly fed insects among glider owners are mealworms, waxworms, and superworms. Insects are the bulk of the sugar glider's wild diet! Other protein sources can be fed can be fed occasionally, such as cooked eggs, broiled chicken, or yogurt, but insects must be fed at least 4-5 days a week.

Fruits / Vegetables
Obviously, acacia gum and eucalyptus sap is not readily available to the average glider owner, but sugar gliders still need those complex carbohydrates. Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables make a convenient substitute. If you are able to, you can buy eucalyptus and acacia trees for your gliders. In the Exotic Sugar Glider Diet, oatmeal is an ingredient, which is also high in complex carbohydrates.

Daily Staple
It is a good idea to have some sort of staple food out at all times so that your glider has something to eat in-between meals. (Do not use staples that are high in fat, such as happy glider food or zookeepers secret) You want this staple to be something that will not go bad quickly if left out. I use Exotic Nutrition’s Premium sugar glider cereal. It has a high protein content, bee pollen, eucalyptus, (both found in the sugar gliders wild diet!) and many other nutritional ingredients. It is dry, in the form of pellets, and stays fresh for a couple of days. Although a staple is good to have in your gliders' cage at all times, pellets should never be the sugar gliders main diet!

Enrichment
Having an enrichment supplement makes your gliders' life more interesting, while meeting a nutritional need. A small amount of deluted apple juice, or some fresh eucalyptus branches are very good enrichment supplements. Other good enrichment foods are special insects, a nut or two (not peanuts), or dried fruit. It is important not to over feed an enrichment supplement. It is just a treat a couple times a week.

Vitamin / Mineral
It is vital to your gliders' health to have a good vitamin / mineral supplement. Without having the exact nutrients from the tree gums and saps, you need to "makeup" with a good vitamin. I use the The Pet Glider's Complete Multivitamin. It has been used for about three years with a 0% diet related illness/death rate and 0% joey rejection rate!

 

 

Choosing A Diet
Choosing a diet and sticking to it is important, so that your gliders are getting the proper balance of calcium/protien/carbs...etc. I believe that the best diet formulated to date is The Exotic Sugar Glider Diet developed by Priscilla Price. Her vitamins are specifically designed for gliders. Her vitamin has been used over three years with a 0% diet related illness rate, and a 0% joey rejection rate. What other diet can say that!? Here at The Glider Pouch, we are proof of the excellence of this diet - we have never had any joey rejections.

 

 

 

The Exoitc Sugar Glider Diet
Developed by Priscilla Price

Presentation:

25 oz unsweetened applesauce

4 oz Dannon non-fat plain yogurt

3 oz concentrated calcium fortified orange juice, no water added

3/4 c Old Fashioned Oats (NO QUICK COOKING OATS)

1 T fresh ground flax seed or wheat germ, refrigerated

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, with a wooden spoon, mix the applesauce, oats, yogurt, wheat germ and orange juice. Divide into two equal portions. To portion one, add: 3 small or medium eggs, scrambled. To portion two, add: 3/4 lb unseasoned, unsalted, broiled shredded chicken.

Add 3/4 cup various chopped or precut fruits and vegetables to each portion. Freeze flat in quart size freezer bags (1/2" or less thick). If you choose to use pre-cut frozen produce, do not use vegetables which have a high ratio of corn.

Feeding schedule should be:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday: Basic Mix

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: Basic Mix Plus Mealworms (about 20 per glider)

Don't feed beef, seeds/nuts, or cottage cheese to your gliders. These are high in phosphorus. Avoid feeding anything with preservatives, sugar, or color additives. Keep the diet low-fat.

Daily exercise is vital. Exercise helps bones absorb calcium and stimulates bone thickening.

Always try to aim for a high Calcium to Phosphorus ratios.

Daily Staple:

Monkey Biscuit

Sugar Glider Cereal

 Enrichment Supplement:

Pure apple juice diluted with half purified water 3-4 times per week.  

Daily Vitamin/Mineral Supplement

"The Pet Glider Complete" Multivitamin, sprinkled on food.

 

 

 

Written by Lauren Way, owner and operator, The Glider Pouch 2007